Blue Xenia keepers!

[FutureInterest]

I'm trying to figure out how to keep blue xenia alive in my tank. I know some people have luck with them and a lot of people don't. So please share what works for you!

What lighting do you guys keep yours under and how deep down in the tank?

Any flow requirements?

Any tips?

thanks!

 

[Ehaze]

any pics? i want some as well?

 

[chrisdamage]

seen some beautiful colonies... definately one of the more light demanding xenia spp.

 

[lanxang]

Here what mine looks like. The first time it was shipped, it didn't make it. We work something out and he shipped me this one. You can see the glitter better in the tank then the camera can capture.

I have it on the bottom of the tank running 150w 14k Phoenix. For flow, I'm using a seio 620 and Korilia 2. Everything seem fine so far.

 

[mikekman]

Here is a bunch of nice blue cesp pics:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1173481

I've been experiementing with this coral and I have some on the bottom of my aquapod under 150 watt Phoenix 14k bulbs and some on the upper half of the tank. All are doing well. I think intense lighting will make it more blue........I've had natural sunlight hit the cesp and it turns really blue!

As for current, it doesn't seem to like heavy flow because I had some in areas of high flow, med flow, and low flow and the high flow ones kept close a lot and the polyps didn't open because the water was blowing it right and left. Med should be good.

Other than that, nothing too special about the care requirements. It doesn't grow as fast as xenia though is one thing I have noticed.

Also there are many cesp color variations.......some are more blue than others, others show the glitters more, etc.

 

[gh0st]

They seem to do better in tanks with 78 degree F or below, higher temperatures tend to cause problems.

Adding Iodide also seems to help, as well as Amino Acid Supplements as it is one of the few food items they seem able to accept.

Good water flow also seems to help.

 

[lanxang]

Mike, I think you're right about the placement in regards to lighting. I had one frag half way up and it's much more blue then the one in the pictured.

 

[mikekman]

Lanxang, what lights are you using?

If I had 250-400 watters, I probably wouldn't place it real high up as that may be too much for the cesp. Just play around with the placement.

Lanxang, if you ever want a piece of my cesp to compare to yours, just let me know. Not all cesps look the same.

 

[lanxang]

Mine is under 150w Phoenix in a sunpod fixture. I got my frags from apex003. Mine looks like the first picture in your link. Is the second one the same xenia?